Kenya

Over the past few months, we have been successful in achieving many of our progress goals to improve our services to the community. Below is a partial list of what has been accomplished.

We have:

• Completed construction of additional staff house and visitor/new staff dormitory.
• Continued to provide quality primary care services
• Expanded our Maternal-Child Healthcare and HIV/AIDS services
• Achieved 100% PMTCT for those mothers who are HIV positive during reporting periodExpanded community maternity education through community outreach in preparation for Home Based Life Saving Skill
• Diagnostically tested 571 patients for HIV and Voluntarily tested 259 patients for HIV
• Provided ARV therapy to 40 of those who are identified as HIV positive
• Provided HIV counseling and education to 240 of those who are HIV positive
• Expanded our Community Health Worker program
• Acquired coordinator for Community Health Worker network
• Refit RMF provided ambulance with stretcher, siren, and ambulance signage
• Constructed more staff housing, clinic perimeter fencing, and additional latrines
• Trained 16 women in sewing sanitary menstrual pads, basic business skills, and women's menstrual health education to provide workshops to women and girls as well as to sew and sell sanitary pads.

Success Stories: Nancy – Obstructed Labor and Cesarean Section

On the evening of June 16, 2009, Nancy, an 18 year old who was pregnant for the first time was laboring in the preliminary maternity set up in the Lwala Clinic. No baby had appeared by dawn, the cervix had stopped opening and the staff recommended transporting her to Tabaka Mission Hospital.

The baby's heart rate was normal. Nancy walked out to the 4-wheel drive ambulance and 30 minutes later Clinical Officer John Badia and Dr. Young transferred her care to the obstetrician at Tabaka Hospital. Nancy's healthy son, Harrison was delivered by Cesarean section. CO Badia and the ambulance are supported by RMF.

This is a classic example of how maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidity are prevented by providing accessible skilled care to pregnant women, providing transportation to a higher-level facility when needed, and collaborating with a facility where advanced care can be provided.

Lavender- Severe Malaria, Anemia and Life Saving Care in Lwala, Kenya

Her worried mother carried Lavender, her 3-year-old daughter from Sumba into the busy Lwala Kenya clinic. Lavender was "hot of body", unconscious, panting for air and in danger of dying from malaria. John Badia, a clinical officer supported by RMF recognized the severity of Lavender's malaria, moved her to the front of the 50 persons waiting queue, and started IV quinine.

The 4-wheel drive ambulance acquired by RMF for the Lwala Community Health Clinic transported Lavender up the rutted road. Herds of cows and goats, dozens of bikes, piki piki motorcycles, ox carts, and hundreds of walkers moved aside to let them pass. At Tabaka Mission Hospital oxygen and blood transfusions were quickly added to her curative quinine treatment. On admission her pulse was 180 (normal 80) and her hemoglobin was 4 gms (normal 15.) Four days later Lavender walked out the door with her mother and squeezed between a piki piki driver and her mother, headed back to her village.